Opportunity for learning

Published:10:28Saturday 11 August 2012

SIXTY young unemployed people from Wisbech will have an opportunity to gain the skills they need to get back into work when they join Greencore Prepared Meals this September for Feeding Britain’s Future – Skills for Work Week.

Working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus local young people will try a diverse range of activities to help them develop their employability skills and improve their chances of getting a job. Experience will include: An opportunity to meet a large local employer, a presentation on the types of jobs that the food and grocery, industry has to offer, an introduction and question and answer session with employees at the site, real skills training in the form of CV training and interview techniques.

Greencore is taking part in the national Feeding Britain’s Future campaign, which has united the entire food and grocery industry in an effort to tackle youth unemployment. On a national basis, Greencore will be opening the doors of 13 of its 16 sites, offering up to 600 places for young people to participate.

During Skills for Work Week September 17 to 21 businesses across the industry’s supply chain will open their doors to provide free skills training for thousands of young unemployed people across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Feeding Britain’s Future is the first initiative of its kind, giving young people access to farms, factories and stores, and firsthand knowledge of the skills needed for a career in the food industry or elsewhere. Young people will benefit from a wide range of training activities such as presentation and interview tips.

Commenting on this initiative, Greencore Group CEO, Patrick Coveney said: “Greencore is delighted to be working alongside the IGD and our peers within the industry on the Feeding Britain’s Future initiative. It is important that we all play our part in addressing the challenge that faces young people in the UK today.”

The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest employer providing 3.6m - or one in seven – jobs and there are a huge range of careers on offer. Young people from Wisbech will get a chance to learn about careers in the food manufacturing industry when they visit Greencore.

Joanne Denney-Finch OBE, Chief Executive of IGD, said: “The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest employer and we’re committed to playing our part in tackling youth unemployment. We’ve consulted both businesses and young people to identify where the skills gaps lie and what the barriers to employment are. We hope the development opportunities on offer will help the young unemployed on the journey towards finding a job.”